The first edition of Festival Production Management Training concludes with Module III in Istanbul
Yesterday, 7 November 2016, the first edition of the Festival Production Management Training launched its three-day concluding session in Istanbul, Turkey. This session is organised by The Festival Academy (an initiative of the European Festivals Association) in cooperation with the Istanbul Music Festival. Module III encourages young production managers from Module I to reflect on their hands-on experiences at a festival, and confront and share with peers and expert production managers how the previous modules have affected their perceptions, aims and future endeavors. Yeşim Gürer Oymak, Director of the Istanbul Music Festival, and Inge Ceustermans, Managing Director The Festival Academy, welcomed the group to the city of Istanbul and to Module III of the training.
“Creative expression is one of the most powerful tools for fostering a culture of peace and dialogue between manifold visions of our world, our history and our future, and in trying times like today, we need its unifying, healing power as ever before. It is culture and the arts that bind us with the global community and provide hope for the future”. Yeşim Gürer Oymak
The workshop in Istanbul is the third and last module of a long-term programme which aims to explore all phases of producing artistic work. While Module I allowed participants to exchange with expert production managers on their experience and challenges of realising an artistic work, Module II gave participants the opportunity to practise their festival managing skills through a hands-on placement in festivals across the world such as Edinburgh International Festival, Førde Traditional & World Music Festival, Hebbel am Hebbel Ufer Berlin, Holland Festival, Israel Festival, Istanbul Music Festival and Izmir European Jazz Festival.
The programme of Module IIII includes presentations by the participants on their placement experiences that will enhance the exchanges and discussions with peers and speakers, an open session with Turkish production managers as well as cultural visits to deepen the knowledge of the cultural sphere of the host country.
“We are looking forward to the next days of in-depth exchanges on production management but also on the essence of what you are all doing – working with art and artists. The core benefit of the programme is the contact with colleagues and the opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences. It is ever more relevant to be in Istanbul today to make global alliances and to meet with the people working here in the cultural scene to hear from them how they face the day-to-day challenges while fighting for essential rights as freedom of speech, freedom of mobility and against the xenophobia and polarisation our society is being confronted with today “. Inge Ceustermans
Expert guidance from renowned production managers
In Istanbul the discussion will be guided by four international presenters, three of which already participated in Module I: Roy Luxford, Planning and Operations Director of the Edinburgh International Festival; Annet Lekkerkerker, Managing Director of the Holland Festival; Jerry Aerts, General Manager and Artistic Director of deSingel International Art Campus, and Yeşim Gürer Oymak, Director of Istanbul Music Festival. Sessions will be moderated by The Festival Academy’s General Coordinator Hugo de Greef.
A productive and continuous exchange flow
The production managers will join The Festival Academy alumni network counting 400 festival managers from 66 countries and all continents which gives further opportunities for sharing and networking after the training.
“The FPMT is a great chance for enthusiastic young production managers to develop their skills, broaden their international network, get inspirations for their own events and gain insights into the work of very much experienced presenters of international format whilst having great fun. I am very glad that I had the chance to be part of the first edition of the FPMT and I'm sure many future generations will profit from what this training format has to offer”. Sasha Sopper, participant of Module I in Antwerp.
Follow the Festival Production Management Training Istanbul 2016 online:
- Opening Speech Inge Ceustermans, Managing Director The Festival Academy
- Opening Speech Yeşim Gürer Oymak, Director Istanbul Music Festival
- The Festival Academy’s Facebook page for news and updates
- EFA’s Twitter account @EFA60 using #FMPT2016